Machine-tool.



G. 0. GRIDLEY.

MACHINE TOOL.

APPLIGATION FILED SEPT.4,1909.

Patented Dec. 26, 1911.

3 SHEBTSSHEET 1.

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G. -0. GRIDLE-Y,

MACHINE TOOL.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 4, 1909. 1,012,630. Patented De0.26, 1911.

3 SEEETSSHEET 3.

%V 462% z /j w mzw GEORGE 0. GRIDLEY, OF WINDSOR, VERMONT.

MACHINE-Toot.

Specification of Letters Patent.

1 Patented Dec. 26, 1911.

Application filed September 4, 1909. Serial No. 516,181.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE O. GRIDLEY, of Windsor, in the county oflVindsor and State of Vermont, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Machine- Tools, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to machine tools and particularly to that classof machine tools in which a number of tool elements are simultaneouslyoperated and caused to act at the same time upon a number of ieces ofwork, preferably to perform di erent operations which may be eitherwholly dis tinct from one another, or successive steps in a connectedseries of operations.

The main object of the invention is to provide such a multiple-toolmachine with a work holder, between which andthe means for holding thetools, there is arelative rotating movement provided so as to presentthe different pieces of work successively to the action of all thetools, and between which and the tool holder there is also anapproaching and'receding movement provided for to feed the work,together with an improved form of driving and feeding mechanism by whichthe above-described relative movements are successively produced.

Another object of the invention is to provide a multiple tool or spindlemachine arranged vertically, in which the relative feed movement betweenthe work and tools is up and down instead of horizontal.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated one embodiment of theinvention, in which the work holder is arranged so as to move relativelyto the support which holds the tools, and have devised a drivingmechanism,-which in part both indexes the work holder rotatively andfeeds it axially toward the work.

Figure 1 of the drawings represents a side elevation of a machineembodying the principles of my invention. Fig. 2 is a verticle axialsection of part of the machine. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of themachine. Fig. 4 is a sectional view of part of the machine on line 4: 4of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow. Figs. 5, 6 and 7 arefragmentary views showing the work-holding table in different positionsand illustrating the action and the means by which rotation of theholder is arrested and feed movement thereof inaugurated. Fig. 8 is aFig. 10 is a plan view of the The same reference characters indicate thesame parts in all the figures.

The machine comprises a base 1 from which arises a column 2. A post 3rises at the rear of the base and is arched over at its upper portion tojoin the column 2, thereby stifi'ening and steadying the latter.Supported upon the column 2 is a head or block 3*, to which aredetachably connected a number of-tool spindle brackets 4. These bracketsare detachably secured to the block or head 3 as shown in Fig. 9 andhave bearings in which are j ournaled the tool spindles 5, carrying theseveral operating tools 6 at the lower ends. The head 3* and brackets 4together constitute tool holders, which support the tools with theiraxes vertical and parallel with the column 2 and also equidistanttherefrom. Contained centrally within the column 2 is an operating shaftor spindle 7 for the tools, which carries on its upper end a gear 8,meshing with gears 9,

carried by the respective tool spindles. All of the tools are thusgeared to the driving shaft and are rotated simultaneously therewith. Ifdesired additional gears 10 of different diameters may be carried by theshaft 7 and change gears adapted to mesh therewith may be substituted onthe tool spindle 5 in place of the gears 9, whereby the latter may bedriven at a variety of different speeds.

The means for driving the shaft 7 is a horizontal shaft 11, whichreceives power from a stepped belt pulley 12 and is in geared relationwith the shaft. 7 by miter gears 13 and 14.

The work holder is a table 15 which carries a number of work-grippingclamps or chucks 16, which is so arrangedas to be capable ofholding anumber of pieces of work in line with the various tools. This table isrigid with a sleeve 17, which surrounds and is capable of moving uponthe column 2. Any convenient means for securing the'table on the sleevemay be provided, such for instance as the key 18, or set screw 19, orboth.

Onaccount of the fact that the tools and work holders are mounted uponthe same column or, in other words, that the support for the tools is acolumn located approxi mately centrally among the several tools, thethrust of the tools in acting upon the work is taken centrally and thetendency of the tools tospring is reduced to the minimum. Where tools onopposite sides ofthe post are in action at one time, the thrustsofthese, tools are balanced and there is no tendency whatever for them tospring. In any case the support which is afforded by the central columnand the solid head sesolid and rigid the construction of such a postmight be, is eliminated by the construction here described.

Surrounding the sleeve 17, withsufficient looseness to turn freelythereon, is a driver 20 for the work table, which is preferably acylindrical cam formed as a sleeve having a cam surface 21, extending oroffset in the direction of its axis. This driving cam restsupon a flatbearing 22 on the base 1. A stud 23, projecting from the sleeve or hub17 of the work table, carries an antifriction roll, 24: which bearsagainst the cam surface 21. The weightof the table and associated partsretalns the stud and its'roll in normal contact with the cam surface-21with a yielding force.

Rotation is imparted to the driver 20 from the main shaft 11- beforereferred to b wormanol wheel gearing 25, 26, a belt 2;, and a worm28-engaging a worm wheel 29, secured to or formed integrallywith thedriver 20. The belt 27 passes over pulleys 30 and 31, secured to theshafts 32 and 33 respectively of the worm wheel 26 and worm 28. Throughthis gearing, as will be understood, a constant slow rotary movement isgiven to the driver 20.

The cam portion of the driver 20 is so shaped as shown in Fig. 3 as toform a shoulder 34, which is sufliciently abrupt as to impart rotationto the work table when it oncounters the stud 23. at all times exceptwhen the table is positively restrained against rotation. Thus the forcewhich yieldingly resists ridin of the stud 23 "by the shoulder 34, whichis due to the weight of the table, is greater than the normal frictionalresistance of the table to rotation and consequently the tendenc is tocarry the table rotarily with it. I provide, however, means forperiodically arresting the rotary movement of the table so that it ispositively prevented from turning of this shoulder most abrupt portion,being sufficient to enable the roll 24 to ride over it when rotation ofthe table is no longer permitted.

The means for so arresting the rotation of the table and converting itsmovement into axial translation is a stop dog or detent 35, pivoted at36 to the front side of the post 3. This dog has attached to ita weight37 which tends to hold the dog in the position shown in Fig. 5. Thelocation of the dog relatively to the table is such that it lies justwithin the periphery of the table as shown in Figs. 1 and 6 and ispressed down by the under surface of the table in the position shown inFig. 6. In the periphery of the table are several notches 38, the sidesof which constitute abutments 39. When the 'dog 35, this end is allowedto slip into the notch owing to the fact that the weight moves the dogfrom the position shown in Fig. 6 to that shown in Fig. 7, whereby theend of the dog engages the abutment 39 of that particular notch. As thetable continues to travel in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 7,it tilts the dog into the position in Fig. 4 until the dog engages thestop pin 40, -whereupon further tilting is prevented andthe table isbrought to rest. In line with the notch in this position of the table'isa guide 41 which projects forwardly from thecolumn-3 and is arrangedparallel with the axis of rotation of the table. When the table is thusbro vght positively to rest, the continuing rotation of the cam drivercauses the table to rise (by passing under the stud 23) until the notchembraces the guide 41. The latter continues to hold the table againstrotation and further movement of the latter is merely a end is at oneside of the notch in the table.

When the table again descends it strikes the end of the dogwith itsunder surface and deflects the latter as shown in Fig. 6. Thereupon thetable, having now entirely left the guide 41 is free to rotate as soonas the shoulder 34 of the cam comes into-contact with the stud 23.In'this manner the table is intermittently indexed so as to present thework pieces successively tothe action of the several tools, and as soonas the indexing movement is complete, the feed movement automaticallybegins and is carried forward by the same means as that-- which causedthe indexing.

Preferably the. number of tool-holding brackets is one less than thenumber of work-gripping chucks on the table, so that opportunity isgiven for a removal of a finished piece and the insertion of a blank,while the tools are operating on the other pieces. Thework-holdingchucks are spaced equidistantly from one another and the tool bracketsare correspondingly spaced, whence one "space is left of. double widthas shown in Figs. 8 and 9, giving access for the removal of finishedwork and the insertion of blanks.

The indexing and feeding principle hereinbefore described may be appliedto a machine in which the axis is horizontal or inclined as well asvertical, as here shown,..it being only necessary to provide some meansfor applying a yielding force to perform the action which gravityperforms in this instance. It is also possible to reverse the relativesituation of the work holder and tool holder, either in position or inmode of operation, so that the tool holder instead of the work holdermay be made to revolve and to approach the other. I accordingly desireit to be understood that 'I do not limit my invention to the particularconstruction and arrangement illustrated and described in thisspecification, but hold reversals and other alterations within the scopethereof.

I-claim:

1. A machine tool comprising a tool holder, a work holder havingprovisions for carrying a plurality of work pieces, means for producingboth a relative feed movement of one holder toward the other, and arelative rotation thereof to place successive work pieces in position tobe operated on by the same tool, a trip, and means for causing such tripto engage a part of the movable holder during its rotation for arrestingsuch relative rotation, said means also causing the trip to be engagedby another part of the movable holder on itsreturn from its feedmovement and to be thereby made inoperative. v

2. In a machine tool comprising a toolholder, and a work-holder, one ofwhich is movable toward and from the other and also rotarily withrespect thereto for indexing, a guide for preventing the rotation of themovable holder when moving axially, so arranged that the movable holderis out of engagement therewith when most remote from the other holder, atrip, means for causing said trip to engage the movable holder andinterrupt the indexing movement thereof, and means for causingthemovable holder, upon return to indexing position, to make such tripinoperative, whereby to permit further indexing.

3. In a machine tool' comprising a toolholder and a work holder, one ofwhich is movable toward and from the other and also rotarily withrespect thereto for indexing, a guide for preventing the rotation of themovable holder when moving axially, so arranged that the movable holderis out of engagement therewith when most remote from the other holder,and a trip normally bearing against the movable holder beside the pathof movement of a shoulder thereon, and yieldingly actuated to engagesaid shoulder and arrest the rotation of the holder, said trip beingfurther so arranged as to be displaced by the holder, on its return toindexing posit-ion, into its position beside the path of the shoulder.

4. A 'machine tool comprising a tool holder, having provisions forsupporting a plurality of tools, a work holder having provisions forsupporting a plurality of work pieces, one of said holders beingrotatable for indexing, a rotary driving member for said holder having acam portion arranged to rotate the rotatable holder, and an abutmentautomatically operative to stop the rotation of said holder and' causethe cam portion of said driving member to move the rotatable holdertoward the other holder, said abutment being also arranged in the pathof the rotatable member upon return to indexing position, whereby it isrendered inoperative by the said member.

5. A machine tool comprising work and tool holders, one of which isrotatable and axially movable, mechanism for rotating the latter, a stoparranged to engage said movable holder and prevent rotation thereof, andmeans whereby said movable holder renders said stop inoperative.

6. A machine tool comprising work and tool holders, one of which isrotatable andaxially movable, means for rotating the latter including arotary cam, a stop automatically operative to arrest the rotation ofsaid holder, whereby said cam is constrained to move the holder axially,and a guide arranged to engage said holder after the same has movedclear of the stop, rotation thereafter.

7 .A machine tool comprising a tool holder and a Work holder, havingmeans for securing a plurality of work pieces, one of which is movable,both rotarily, and axially toward and from the other, a guide parallelto the direction of axial motion of said holder, an abutment on themovable holder adapted to engage said guide, and a stop arrangedadjacent to said movable holder in such position as to be engaged by theholder to arrest the rotation of the holder and cause it to be movedaxially when its abutment is in alinement withthe guide.

8. A machine tool comprising a tool holder and a work holder, one ofwhich holders is movable relatively to the other, both rotarily andrectilinearly, means for turning the movable holder, a dog mountedadjacent to such movable holder and arranged to engage an abutmentthereof to arrest the rotatlon of the holder whereby the latter iscaused to move axially, and a to restrain its v stationary guide withwhich said abutment of -,the holder engages after a slight axialmovement.

9. A machine tool comprising a tool holder and a work holder, one ofwhich holders is movable relatively to the other, both rotarily andrectilinearly, a pivotally mounted dog or trip arranged so as to engagean abutment of said table to stop the rotation thereof, and a guide withwhich an abutment is engaged and by which the holder is constrained tomove rectilinearly toward the other holder.

10. A machine tool comprising a tool holder and a work holder, one ofwhich holders is movable relatively to the other both rotarily andrect-ilinearly, said holder having a plurality of guide grooves parallelto its axis, a dog movably mounted adjacent to said holder in positionto enter said grooves when the latter are brought into the vicinity'thereof, during the rotation of the holder,

whereby the rotation of the holder is arrested and translative movementthereof is produced, and a stationary guide parallel to the axis of saidmovable holder arranged to be embraced by the groove of the latter uponthe axial movement thereof.

11. A machine tool comprising a tool holder and a work holder arrangedone above the other, the lower of the two holders 'being rotatable in ahorizontal plane and also movable vertically, said holder having anumber of abutments, and a dog located beneath said movableholder andarranged to press upwardly against the under surface v of the latter,whereby to engage the abutments thereof and arrest the rotation of theholder. 13. A vertically arranged multiple spindle machine toolcomprising a tool holder carrying a plurality of vertically arrangedoperating tools, a work-holding table mounted beneath said tool holder,with prointo which theend-of said dog is adapted to be raised by theweighted portion thereof and, by engagementv of which with the dog,rotation of the table is prevented, and a guide vertically alined withsaid dog for guiding the table when the latter is raise by the camdriver above the dog.

. 14. A vertical machine tool comprising a tool holder having verticallyarranged'tools, a work-holding table arranged beneath said tool holderand mounted so as to be rota-' table horizontally andrectilinearlymovable vertically, said table having a number of shoulders at itsperiphery, a weighted dog pivotally mounted beneath said table near theperiphery thereof, and caused by its weighted port-ion to bear upwardlyagainst the under surface of the table-so as to engage said shoulders asthe latter come adjacent thereto, a stop located beside said dog tolimit the pivotal movement thereof and arrest the rotation of the table,and a vertical guide arranged .to be engaged by a shoulder of the tableas the latter moves up and-down, the dog beingarranged at such an anglewith respect to its weighted portion that upon lowering of the table theshoulder-which was last engaged with the dog overlies the latter anddepresses it,

15. In a machine of the character described a horizontally rotatable andvertically movable table, a dog pivoted beneath said table and having aweighted arm extending at an angle thereto, a vertical guide arrangedabove said dog, and abutments on the table projecting outward beyond thedog, said dog and its weighted arm being arranged relatively tothe'table so that when one of said shoulders is engaged with said guidethe dog projects beyond the path of movement of the shoulder, and whenthe table is in its rotating position, it bears upon the dogand-displaces the weighted arm thereof from its lowermost position.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature, in presence of twowitnesses.

. GEORGE O. GRIDLEY. VVit-nesses:

ALBERT E. -RUST, P. W. PEzzE'r'rI.

